President Donald Trump on Friday escalated his rhetoric on crime, saying Chicago would be the “next” city targeted for federal troop deployment, following his recent use of the National Guard in Washington, D.C.
“Chicago’s a mess. You have an incompetent mayor, grossly incompetent. And we’ll straighten that one out probably next,” Trump said.He claimed residents were begging for federal help, even suggesting that Black women in Chicago were personally urging him to send in troops.
The comments drew immediate rebuke from Illinois leaders. Mayor Brandon Johnson said sending in the military would be “illegal and unhelpful,” urging the federal government to focus instead on resources that actually reduce violence. Gov. Gov. JB Pritzker denounced the proposal as “an authoritarian power grab,” dismissing claims that Chicagoans are clamoring for military involvement.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul went further, accusing Trump of weaponizing the military against U.S. citizens. “Sending service members into civilian law enforcement without the proper training doesn’t make our cities safer,” he said.
He warned that deploying military personnel for policing, without adequate training, would only undermine public safety rather than strengthen it.
Legal experts agree Trump lacks authority to unilaterally deploy Illinois’ National Guard. Unlike in Washington, D.C., where federal control applies, any Guard deployment in Chicago would require Pritzker’s approval. Still, Trump could order additional FBI, DEA, or ATF agents to reinforce federal law enforcement already in the city.
The clash comes as Illinois and 19 other states sue the Trump administration over a Justice Department rule linking crime-victim grants to immigration enforcement—an effort state leaders call unlawful and politically motivated.
